D Center Design Convo #98: Digital Equity and Connectivity
Access to information and knowledge is a building block of democracy. Baltimoreans deserve, but do not have, equitable digital access and inclusion – to connect to each other, to services, to resources, to employment. What role might design communities play in pursuit of digital equity? What local efforts are shifting the current status quo? How can designers and planners include digital equity principles in their work?
In March, NDC hosted a D Center Design Conversation to investigate the issues arising for three groups groups working to address digital equity issues. Amalia Deloney of the Media Democracy Fund, Carly Wais of Libraries Without Borders and Terrell Williams of BUILD led an engaging conversation, ranging from the societal and philosophical framing of the role of technology to the specific barriers local communities face, and the initiatives underway to address this. They explored digital connectivity in Baltimore and discussed approaches and design solutions to address digital inequity. NDC’s talented graphic facilitator Sophie Morley was on hand to capture the conversation:
